Bramatherium perimense

Bramatherium perimense is an extinct species of primitive giraffe belonging to the genus Bramatherium , within the family Giraffidae . This large mammal inhabited the Indian subcontinent during the Late Miocene , approximately 8 to 6 million years ago, and its remains have been found primarily in the Siwalik Formation deposits, which extend across regions of Pakistan and India. This species was originally described from fossils discovered on Perim Island (present-day Yemen) and subsequently recognized in other sites across South Asia, indicating a fairly wide geographic distribution.

Bramatherium perimense was a large ruminant , comparable in mass and robustness to modern moose or even giraffes, although it was more stocky and had a shorter neck. Estimates indicate that it could reach up to 2.8 meters in height at the shoulder and weigh between 1,000 and 1,200 kilograms , placing it among the largest known giraffes of the Miocene. Its build was robust, with strong limbs and a compact body, likely adapted for traveling long distances in wooded savanna or open woodland habitats.

The skull of Bramatherium perimense was robust and tall , with a relatively short and broad face compared to that of modern giraffes. One of its most distinctive features was the presence of four ossicones (horn-like bony structures), two located on the forehead and two smaller ones at the back of the skull. These ossicones were covered in skin and were possibly used in intraspecific disputes or as sexual ornaments for display. In some specimens, the rear ossicones are more developed, suggesting possible differences related to sex or age.

The dentition of Bramatherium perimense shows large molars with relatively high crowns (hypsodont) , indicating a mixed diet of browsing and grazing , adapted to environments with diverse vegetation, from tender shrub leaves to abrasive grasses. Dental microwear analyses and the sedimentary context of the Siwalik suggest that this species lived in humid savanna ecosystems , with seasonal rivers, floodplains, and scattered woodlands, similar to those of present-day East Africa.

Phylogenetically, Bramatherium perimense belongs to the Sivatheriinae group, a subfamily of extinct giraffes characterized by their large body size and complex cranial ornamentation. It shares many similarities with related genera such as Sivatherium and Helladotherium , but is distinguished by its more elongated cranial morphology and the particular arrangement of its ossicones. These traits suggest that Bramatherium occupied an intermediate evolutionary position between the primitive giraffes of the Middle Miocene and the more derived sivatherines of the Pliocene.

Approximate measurements of the Bramatherium:

• 1:35 Scale Complete
• Length 105 mm
• Height 107 mm
• Width 31 mm
• Snout-tail base length 105 mm

• Complete 1:20 Scale
• Length 182 mm
• Height 187 mm
• Width 54 mm
• Snout-tail base length 183 mm